The invention relates to an exercise device, more specifically to an exercise machine, capable of providing a choice of a wide variety of resistance exercises to a diverse population of users with varying needs.
Interest in resistance training is growing as we have come to better understand its myriad benefits. Resistance trainers come in all sizes, shapes, genders, and ages, vary in their physical abilities and have a wide variety of rationales for their training, rationales which may well change within the same individual over time. Some resistance exercisers train for general fitness, others to gain or lose weight, still others to improve their sports performance, and still others use resistance training for rehabilitative purposes. Trainers pursuing improved sports performance and rehabilitation often find it difficult, if not impossible, to perform resistance exercises that closely simulate the movements of the sports activities or those involved in daily living. Moreover, many trainers have multiple objectives and their emphasis on one or another of those objectives can shift in the short or long term.
While needs are broad, vary from individual to individual, and can change, economic, time and space limitations, constrain the commercial enterprises that offer resistance training. That is, it is difficult to provide resistance training equipment that meets the needs of all their actual and potential customers. Those who train at home generally face even more severe constraints of this nature. Consequently, there is always a desire for resistance training equipment that is more versatile.
Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 2004/0157711A1 to Regev, 2003/0060343 to Sechrest et. al., 2002/0193213 to Batca et al., 2002/0111254 to O'Hearn, 2002/0086777 to Charnitski, and issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,612 to Sechrest et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,937 to Voris, U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,833 to Ellis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,474 to Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,323 to Simonson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,020 to Webber, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,480 to Fulks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,121 to Sollow et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,568 to Riley et al.
However, each one of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages:                1) Lack of ability to provide the resistance patterns of certain athletic or sports events, rehabilitation exercises or activities of daily living.        2) Significant limits on the variety of exercises that can be performed.        3) Significant limits on the height, angular range, and diameter of rotation that is possible.        4) Inability to select and fix the angle of the exercise to be performed.        5) Inability to permit consistent resistance for both linear and rotational exercises.        6) Inability to permit both guided and freer movements.        7) Need for multiple stations.        8) Inability to serve trainers in standing, sitting, and reclining positions.        9) Lack of adequate adjustability for trainees of differing sizes and capabilities.        10) Requirement for complex lever, gear or other mechanisms for transmitting force from a resistance source to the user.        
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a machine that can provide consistent linear and rotational resistance at virtually any height relative to the user, at any angle, in any arc plane and angular range, both linearly rotationally, guided and free in a relatively simple way. Various versions of the apparatus described herein address all of the aforementioned deficiencies. Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.